Pedestal-extension-table locking device.



No. 722,468. PATENTED MAR.10,1903.

' E.TYDEN.

PEDESTAL EXTENSION TABLE LOOKING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1902.

no 11011121.. I z SHEETS-S 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL TYDEN, on HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

PEDESTAL-EXTENSION-TABLE LOCKING DEVIC E.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 722,468, dated March 10,1903. Application filed May 31, 1902. Serial No. 109,660- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, EMIL TYDEN, a citizenof the United States, andaresident of Hastings, Michigan, have invented certain new and use fulImprovements in Pedestal Extension- Table Locking Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being made to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

This invention relates to devices for engaging and drawing together theparts of the pedestal of an extension-table, which are liable to sagapart at the lower end when the table is closed up. I

It consists of specific means for this purpose, which are set out in-theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partly-sectional elevation of a pedestalextension-table having my improvement, section being made axiallythrough the pedestal to disclose the interior parts, the table beingshown in locked position of the parts. Fig. 2 is a detail view similarto Fig. 1 so far as the locking parts are concerned, but showing them inan unlocked position, but ready for engagement. Fig. 3 is a detailsection at line 3 3 on Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a detail section at line 4 4 onFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section at line 5 5 on Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1, showing the modified structure. Fig. 7 is a sectionat line 7 7 on Fig. 6.

1 1 are the two members of the table, which are closed together orextended, according to the use.

2 2 are the pedestal members pertaining to the table members'l 1,respectively.

3 represents the bridge, which connects two of the extension-slides, oneof which appears at 4.

5 is the customary center leg, which is socured to the bridge 3 andperforms the customary function of upholding the extension devices whenthe table is extended.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I employ for locking thepedestalmembers together a latch 6, fulcrumed on the center leg 5 at asubstantial distance below the top of the table, having at its oppositeends hooks 7 7, one of which turns downward and the other upward, thetwo pedestal members having secured to them at their inner surfacesfacing each other at opposite sides of the center leg plates 8 8, whichare adapted to be engaged by the books 7 7, respectively, and constitutethe latch-stops, the pedestal side walls being slightly recessed, asshown at 9 9,to receive the hooks when they are engaged behind theplates and the plates having inwardly-struck lips 8 which form inclinedcams for engagement of the hooks as they are forced in behind the platesto crowd the pedestal parts together tightly, the hooks being ofsuitable length to pass down over the entire inclined portion and becomeengaged against the inner face of the plates below the incline, so thattendency of members to separate may be resisted positively by suchengagement, and, if necessary,the plates may be slightly recessed belowthe inclined portion, where the nose of .the hook lodges when the partsare at locked position; thus increasing the security of the engagement.In the preferred form, which, as may be understood from Fig. 4, isrepresented in the first group of figures, I employ two latches, securedrigidly at opposite ends of the short rock-shaft 10, which are journaledin a center leg, each of the latches having its appropriate engagingplates 8 8 secured tothe opposite pedestal parts, respectively, as seenin Fig. 4. For the purpose of operating the latch or latches I provide alink, which in order to engage both latches and operate them'most easilyI make up of two members l1 l1, symmetrically formed and rivetedtogether, as shown, each part practically coustituting a complete link,theirlower ends being spread, as seen in Fig. 3, to engage,respectively, the two latches, to which they are pivoted at 12 12. Atthe upper side said links 11 11 are spread, forming a fork, whose arms13 13 are connected to the pivot 14:, which has two short lever-arms 1515 extending down to pivots at 16 16 on the plate 17, secured on theupper side of the bridge 3. The leverarms 15 15 when the latches areinposition to be engaged to pass by the edges of the plates 8 8,respectively, as seen in.Fig. 2, are inclined from vertical position atan angle of about thirty to forty-five degrees over toward the side atwhich the link 11 is extended down to reach the latches. The partshaving reached this position ready for engagement, it will be seen thatif the lever-arms 15 15 are swung over to position at which the plate.

stress of the parts drawn together will tend to prevent return past thatline, and if stopped against further movement in the same direction theparts will be locked. The link is most conveniently stopped 'to limitthe rocking movement at the desired locked position by colliding withthe side of the bridge 3 or the plate 17, which may be extended to orbeyond that side to afford such stop. If the lever-arms 15 15 are rockedin the other direction back past the line indicated, the reaction of theparts will immediately release the latches, and further movement willpositively withdraw them from engagement with the plates 8 8. It willnot be necessary to withdraw them positively farther than to cause themto reach the incline 8, and then the table parts being separated theywill ride up the inclines freely. I construct the latch so that with theweight of the parts connected with it and the stress of the spring whichmay be employed to control its position, as hereinafter described, ittends to stand at a position intermediate to that to which it must movein order to effectively engage the plates for locking and that to whichit must move to let the hooks pass the lips 8. In order that,notwithstanding its tendency to occupy this position, the latch mayreadily enter over and behind the plates when the pedestal parts areclosed together,its hook-noses7 maybe formed with an outer inclined faceor edge 7, which encountering the edge of the inclined cam-lip 8 as theparts are closed together rides on the said edge and with the hookpasses it and enters behind the lip ready to be thrust down into thedesired looking engagement with the For the purpose of rocking theleverarms 15 15 through the necessary angle to perform the functionabove described I provide a slide-bar 20, mounted upon one of themembers of the table, which is constructed suitably to engage thelever-arms or some part connected with them-as, for example, the pivot14, which connects the links ll 11 to them--When the pedestal parts arenear enough together to permit the locking action. When the pedestalparts are brought near enough together so that the inclined faces 7 ofthe latch-noses 7 are in contact with the edges of the cam Iips 8 andready to ride'on said edges as the pedestal parts are further made toapproach, the extremity of the slidebar beyond the notch 21 is incontact with the pivot 14, so that as the table members are furtherpushed together and the latch-noses ride over the edges of the lips 8such action,

rocking the latch on its pivot down atone end and up at the other, isfurther assisted by the push of the end of the slide-bar against saidpivot, because both actions tend to rock the lever-arms 15 15 downward,and either of said elementsthat is to say, the inclined faces of thelatch-noses or the pivot encountering the end of the slide-bar 20-may besolely relied upon for the purpose; but preferably, as shown both meansare provided, each tending to assist and insure the opera tion of theother. Each or both of said means operating in the manner described thelatchnoses finally pass over the edges of the camlips, and at the sametime the pivot 1'4'reaches the lower corner of the end of the slide-barand passes under the same, and as the latchnoses pass, respectively, upand down behind the inclined lips 8 the lever-arms 15 15, rocking back alittle toward upright position, carry the pivot 14 fairly into the notch21. The lips 8 are designed to be protruded inward enough so that themaximum sag or separation at the lower end of the table parts when thetwo members of the table-top are together will be exceeded by saidprotrusion of the lips and that the noses of the latch will lodge on theinclined slope of the lipsalittle inward from the crest of the same.Thus by the time it becomes necessary to use the devices for the purposeof forcibly clamping the parts of the pedestal together the pivot 14will be within the notch 21, as described. The slide-bar 20 being newpulled toward the end of the table, the pivot will be engaged by theshoulder of the notch and the engage ment become deeper as thelever-arms 15 15 are rocked up toward erect position, forcing thelatch-noses along the inclined slope of the cam-lips until when thepedestal parts are close together the latch-noses will reach the limitof said inclined lips and be thrust down beyond the straight portion ofthe plates 8 S to secure engagement, the pivot 14 having meantime beendrawn past the direct line from the fulcrum 16 of the lever-arms of thepivotal connection of the link 11 with the latch. The parts will be thusin the locked position desired. For unlocking the operator will thrustthe bar 20 forward-that is, toward the junction-line of the two-membersof the table-top-and the shoulder 21 on the notch operating on the pivot14 will rock the lever-arms 15 15 over past the locked position and ondown far enough to fully free the.

latches from their locked position. This movement may be continued untilthe latches are lifted entirely clear of the lips; but it will besuflicient' to continue it until they are in position to encounter theinclined slope of said lips when the table parts are pulled apart,because they will ride up on said lips and pass over them, the pivot 14in that action, Whether caused by the push of the slidebar or by theaction of the latch, as described, being carried downward to a pointwhich will permit the terminal of the slide-bar beyond IIO the notch topass freely over the pivot as the table parts are farther separated.

The modification of this structure, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, consistsin employing two latches instead of one, both latches operating upwardto effect engagement with the pedestal members. Referring to thesefigures, there will be found mounted on the center leg a sleeve orferrule 23, which is made rigid therewith, said ferrule constituting apivot-hanger for the latches and for that purpose being provided withpivot-studs 26 26 26 26, to which are pivoted the four latches 27 27 2727, two upon each side, each pair of latches being extended from theirpivots toward the pedestal member on the opposite side of the leg fromthat upon which said pivots are located, so that the latches from eitherside pass by the pivots of the latches on the other side, and for thatpurpose thelatches are made with the notch or recess 27 to permit themto oscillate properly where they pass said opposite pivots. Thecorresponding latches of the two pairsthat is, the two at either side ofthe leg, which extend one toward one pedestal member and the othertoward the other memberlie alongside each other and are slotted toreceive the cross-head 28 of an operating-rod 29, which extends axiallywithin the center leg and protrudes above the bridge 3, the leg and thesleeve or ferrule 23 being vertically slotted to accommodate thecross-head 28. It will be seen that with this construction thereciprocation of the rod 29 and its cross head 28 will operate all thelatches in substantially the same manner as in the construction shown inthe other figures. The latches are operated by the link 11, and Iprovide for the purpose of reciprocating said rod 29 a constructionsubstantially similar to that already described, mounted at the top ofthe leg of the bridge 3, the aperture in said leg being tapered,widening from the lower end toward the upper end to permit the oscillation of the rod 29 after the manner of the link 11 as the upper end iscarried with the rocking movement of the lever-arms 15 15.

It is manifest that one latch on either side may be dispensed withwithout affecting the substance of the invention.

In order to render the action of the device as nearly automatic aspossible and require the minimum mechanical understanding of thestructure in order to enable an operator to manipulate it successfullyin looking and unlocking, itis desirable that the latch should normallystand at a position intermediate between the two extreme positions whichit may occupy, the one when it passes over the edge of the cam-lip 8 andthe other when it is in finally locked position engaged behind thestraight portion of the plate 8, and for this purpose a convenientdevice is that shown in Figs. 1 and 2,which consists ofa tensile spring30, attached to a lug 31, projecting upward from the hub of either ofthe latches, the other end of the spring being attached by an eye 32,secured to the side of the leg 5, the pull on the spring tending tobring the point of its attachment to the lug 31 in line with the pivotof the latch, and the other attachment of the spring tends to cause thelatch to stand at the intermediate position indicated and to return tothat position'from either direction. The spring therefore operates tothrow the pivot 1-1 up into the notch 21 when the members of the tablearebeing closed together and after the encounter of the end of theslide-bar with said pivot has rocked the lever-arms 15 15 far enough totilt the latchhooks into position for passing the edges of the cam-lips8 and at the same time of course the latch-hooks are thrown down behindthe lips or onto their cam-slope ready to be thrust farther down intofull engagement when the operator pulls the slide-bar.

I have referred to the movement of the slide-bar by which the locking iseffected as a pull, because the bar is in that action moved toward theoperator standing at the end of the table. It is preferable, however, tohave the movement which the operator makes for closing up the table andoperating the lock in that process'a push, because that is the directionof movement whichis being given to the table member at the end at whichthe operator stands, the opposite member being held opposed to thatmovement by its stability on the floor and its inertia tending to resistthe push, and'similarly in extending the table it is desirable that themovement which the operator gives to unlock the device should be a pull.In order to make the movement upon the slide-bar 29 in looking a pull onthat bar-that is, a movement of the bar with respect to the table in adirection toward the operatorand to make the contrary movement forunlocking a push on the bar with respect to the table, while the actualmovement which the operator makes is a pull in unlocking and a push inlooking, I prefer to provide for operating said bar by means of a lever33, fulcru med at 3a on the table-top and pivotally connected to theslide-bar at 35 at one side of the fulcrum, the lever being providedwith one handle 36 at the opposite side of the fulcrum and anotherhandle 37 at the opposite of its pivotal connection to the slidebar.With this construction the operator in unlocking and extending the tablewill take hold of the handle 36 and pull toward the end of the table,causing the bar 20 to be thrust or pushed away from him, while thestress of the pull operating upon the table member through the pivot 3%tends to draw that member away from the other, as should be done toseparate the table members as soon as the latch is disengaged. It willbe noted that as the operator thus pulls on the handle and thrusts theslide-bar from him the pivot 14 is first forced over the fulcrum of thelever-arms 15 15, and then said arms are further rocked on beyond thefulcrum, the pivot 14 in such movement traveling down along the face ofIIO the shoulder 21 and the latch-hooks being withdrawn from behindtheplates 8; but the spring 30 will tend to resist this action andrestore the latch and the pivot 14 after the middle point of themovements is past. Nevertheless said movement must be continued, and thepivot must be held down until the slide-bar is withdrawn, so that theother shoulder of the notch 21 may pass back over the pivot. This canonly be done by continuing the thrust of the bar while the table partsare being separated enough to compensate for such separation and untilthe separation has continued far enough to carry the latch-hooks outpast the edges of the lips 8. While the ends of the hooks are passingover these edges the latch is prevented by the lips from i returning toits normal position under the stress of the spring 30, and during thatpart of the separating movement of the table members the pivot 14 willpass from one side to the other of the notch 21 and arrive under the endof the terminal nose of the bar 20 and be past the possibility of beingthrown back into the notch. In closing up the table the operator willpush first on the handle 37, which will have the effect of pushing alsoon the slide-bar 20,.and at the same time the push will operate on thetable member to move it toward the opposite memher, as desired. The pushon the bar 20 will throw the latch-hooks into position to pass the edgesof the lips 8 and be ready to become engaged behind them when the tablemembers are together at the top or so nearly together that the lockingaction may be performed. The operator will then transfer his push fromthe handle 37 to the handle 36, but will continue to push, thus pullingon the slide-bar, which is the proper movement to operate the lockingdevice, While he will still be pushing on the table, as is necessary,since otherwise if he should pull on the table the tendency would be toseparate the members and get the latches out of. locking position, andsuch position will be continued until the locking is effected, whichwill be readily perceived by the slight reaction which will be felt whenthe pivot 1 L passes over the center.

I do not limit myself to the particular form of latch-stop which isherein shown consisting of the plates 8; but I employ the termlatch-stop in my claims to denote generically the elements with whichthe latch engages for performing its office of securing the part onwhich it is mounted to the part on which the stop is mounted. I

I have shown a familiar form of extension device for the table; but myinvention is not limited to use with such extension devices, but, on thecontrary, any element of the table structure which is intermediatebetween the two members of the table when it is extended so as to beadapted to carry the locking devices in position to be inclosed betweenthe pedestal members when they are brought together will be within themeaning of the term extension devices as employed in my claims.

I claim- 1. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the upperstructure comprising the separabletable members and extensionslideswhich connect them; the pedestal members pertaining to said separablemembers respectively; latching devices carried by said upper structureadapted for engaging the pedestal members at a substantial distancebelow the table-top, and latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively; a lever having its fulcrum carried by said upperstructure; a link connecting it to the latching devices for forcing thesame into engagement with the latch-stops; means for rocking the leverover its fulcrum to effect such engagement, and astop for limitingitsrocking movement when the pivot of the link thereto has passed beyondthe line from the other pivot of the link to the fulcrum.

2. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending downwardfrom the extension devices within the pedestal, a latching devicepivoted on such element; latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively a lever fulcrumed at the top of said element; a linkconnecting it with the latching device; means for rocking the lever overits fulcrum and a stop for limiting its rocking movement when the pivotof the link thereto has passed beyond the line from the other pivot ofthe link to the lever-fulcrum.

3. In a'pedestal extension-table, in combination with the upperstructure comprising the separable table members and extensionslideswhich connect them; the pedestal members pertaining to said separablemembers respectively; latching devices carried by said upper structureadapted for engaging the pedestal members at a substantial distancebelow the table-top, and latch-housings on the pedestal membersrespectively for such engagement; a lever having its fulcrum carried bysaid upper structure; a link connecting it to the latching devices; aslide-bar on one of the table members adapted by endwise movement torock the lever to actuate the latching devices to position for enteringthe latch-stop, said bar having a delay-surface for holding the lever atsuch position during further end- Wise movement of thebar While thelatching devices thus enter, and having back of the delay-surface anotch to engage the lever;

means for causing one of said parts to react to efiect such engagementwhen the delaysurface is passed, whereby the retraction of the slide-barrocks the lever'back to force the latching devices into engagement withthe latch-stop.

4. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the upperstructure comprising the separable table members and extensionslideswhich connect them; the pedestal members pertaining to said separablemembers respectively; latching devices carried by said upper structureadapted for engaging the pedestal members at a substantial distancebelow the table-top, and latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively for such engagement; a lever having its fulcrum carried bysaid upper structure; a link connecting it to the latching devices foroperating the same to force them into and take them out of engagementwith the latch-stops respectively, a slide-bar on one of the tablemembers having a shoulder in position adapted to engage said lever bymovement in one direction when the members are near together, forrocking the lever away from horizontal position to force the latches tolocked position, and having a second shoulderfacing the first whichencounters the lever when the bar is moved in the opposite direction androcks the lever back toward horizontal position to disengage the latchesfrom the housings, the notch or interval between said shoulders being inposition and extent to be traversed by the lever while the latch ispassing over the edge of the latch-stop; whereby the lever is preventedfrom engaging the first shoulder after being actuated by the second fordisengagement of the latches.

5. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending downwardfrom the extension devices within the pedestal; a latching devicepivoted on such element; latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively; a lever fulcrumed at the top of said element; a linkconnecting it with the latching device; a slide-bar mounted on one ofthe table members adapted to encounter the lever when the bar is movedendwise in one direction and rock said lever toward horizontal positionto tilt the latch to position for entering the latchstops, and having adelay-surface by which the lever is held in position to retain thelatches in entering position during further closing movement of thepedestal members, and a shoulder back of said delay-surface forengagement of the bar with the lever, and means causing one of saidparts to react to efiect such engagement when the delay-surface ispassed, the bar being adapted to be retracted with respect to the tablemember on which it is mounted after such engagement to rock the leveraway from horizontal position to force the latching devices intoengagement with the latch-stops.

6. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending down fromthe extension devices within the pedestal, a latching device pivoted onsuch element; latch-stops on the pedestal members respectively; a leverfulcrumed at the top of said element; a link connecting it with thelatching device; a slidebar mounted on one of the table members adaptedto be moved endwise thereon and carried endwise therewith as the tableis closed up and extended, said lever having a notch in which the leveris engaged when the pedestal members are closed together, whereby theforward endwise movement of the bar causes one shoulder of said notch toengage the lever and rock it toward horizontal position for disengagingthe latch from the stops, the other shoulder of the notch being of lessextent and the bar being adapted to be further thrust in the samedirection while the table member on which it is carried is moved in theopposite direction to extend thetable, and a stop limiting such thrustof the bar at the position at which the latch is passing the edge of thestop; whereby the lever passes the notch and is prevented from engagingwith the opposite shoulder while the latch is thus restrained on theedge of the stop.

7. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending down fromthe extension devices within the pedestal, in combination with latchingdevices on said element and stops for engaging them on the pedestalparts respectively, means for operating the latching devices comprisingthe lever, 15, and the links connecting it to the latching devices, theslide-bar having the notch, 21, with its inner and outer shoulders ofdifferent extent and the delay-surface beyond the outer shoulder, thelever, 33, fulcrumed on the table member which carries the slide-bar,and pivotally connected to the latter at one side of its fulcrum, andhavingone handle at the opposite side of said fulcrum and another at theopposite side of said pivotal connection, and a stop limiting theendwise thrust movement of the bar on the table member.

8. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending down fromthe extension devices within the pedestal; a latching device pivoted onsaid element within the pedestal; latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively, having their latch-engaging lips provided with inclinedinner faces for the track of the latch moving into engagement with thestops; and means extending from the latch to one end of said element onwhich the latch is pivoted for forcing the latch along said inclinedfaces into such engagement.

9. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending downwardfrom the extension devices within the pedestal; a latching devicepivoted on such element; latch-stops on the pedestal membersrespectively; means extending to one end of said element for operatingthe latch to withdraw it from engagement with the stops, the latchhaving inclined pilot-noses to guide it into engagement with the stops.

10. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the upperstructure comprising separable table members and the extensionslideswhich connect them, the pedestal members pertaining to said separablemembers respectively; latching mechanism carried by said upper structurefor connecting the pedestal members ata substantial distance below thetable-top, comprising two pairsof latches having fulcrum-supportdepending from the extension-slides, one latch of each pair at each sideof the center of the pedestal, the

latches of one pair extending to one pedestal member and those of theother pair to the other pedestal member, and latch-stops on the pedestalmembers for said latches respectively.

11. In a pedestal extension-table having an element extending downwardfrom the extension devices Within the pedestal, two pairs of latchespivoted on such element, the latches of one pair extending toward onepedestal member and those of the other pair toward the other pedestalmember, and latch-stops on the pedestal members respectively forengagement of the latches; a link connecting the latches upwardly andmeans at the upper part of said element on which the latches are pivotedfor actuating the link to operate the latches.

12. In apedestal extension-table having an element extending downwardfrom the extension devices within the pedestal, devices for lockingtogether the two pedestal members comprising two pairs of latches,allfour latches being pivoted to said element, those of one pair forengagement With one pedestal member and those of the other pair forengagement with the other pedestal member; latchstops on the pe estalmembers for such engagement, the pivots of the latches to said elementbeing at the opposite side of said element from the pedestal memberswhich the latches respectively engage; a reciprocating rod extendingwithin the said element, having a cross-head emerging therefrom forengaging the latches between their pivots; and means at the upper end ofthe latch-supporting element for actuating said rod to engage anddisengage the latches.

13. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the separablemembers, the extension-slides connecting them and the pedestal memberspertaining to said separable members respectively, the center legcarried by the extension-slides and extending within the pedestalmembers when the latter are closed; a sleeve secured on the center legand having two pairs of pivot-studs projecting from it, two pairs oflatches pivoted upon said studs respectively, those of each pairextending from the pivot-stud past the center leg toward the oppositepedestal member; latch-stops upon the pedestal members for theengagement of said latches respectively; and means connected with thelatches between the two pivot-studs at each side and extending thenceupward to the top of the leg for operating the latches.

14. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the separablemembers, extension-slides connecting them and the pedestal memberspertaining to the separable members respectively, the center leg carriedby the extension-slides and extending within the pedestal when itsmembers are closed up; two pairs of latches pivoted to said center leg,those of one pair for engagement with one pedestal member and those ofthe other pair for engagement with the other pedestal member, the pivotsof the latches being at the opposite side of the center leg from thepedestal member which they engage; latch-stops on the pedestal membersfor such engagement, and connections for operating the latches engagingthe same at the opposite sides of the center leg between the pivots andextending thence up to the upper end of the center leg; and means at theupper end of the center leg for actuating such connections to operatethe latches.

15. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the extensiondevices and an element extending downward therefrom, two pairs oflatches pivoted on said element at opposite sides thereof and at asubstantial distance below the table-top, the latches of each pairextending parallel with each other from their pivots past the center ofthe pedestal toward the pedestal member at the opposite side; a linkguided at the lower end on said latch-supporting element, and havingloose pivotal connection atone side with one latch of each pair, and atthe other side with the other latches, and means at the upper end ofsaid latch-supporting element connected to the link to operate thelatches.

16. In a pedestal extension-table in combination with the extensiondevices and a latchsupporting element extending downward therefrom; thehooked latching devices pivotally mounted on said element; latch-stopson the pedestal members respectively for engagement by the hooks of saidlatches to draw and lock the table parts together; a lever fulcrumed atthe upper end of the center leg; a link connecting said lever with thelatching devices whereby the rocking of the lever over its fulcrumoperates said devices; means causing the latch to stand normally atposition requiring deflection in one direction for entering intoengagement with the latchstops and in the other direction for drawingthe pedestal members together after suchengagement is effected; thenormal position of the rocking lever corresponding to such normalposition of the latch, being intermediate horizontal and vertical; aslidebar on the table-top adapted to encounter said lever at saidintermediate position as the pedestal members are brought together, andby such encounter to rock the lever and deflect the latch in directionfor entering into engagement with the latch-stops, said lever having anotch for engagement with the lever when the latches have thus entered;the wall of the notch remote from the lever-encountering end of theslide-bar being extended down farther than said encountering end to rockthe lever down for disengaging the latch, and means for operating theslide-bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twowitnesses, this 12th day of May, A. D. 1902.

EMIL TYDEN.

In presence of- FRED W. STEBBINS, KITTIE F. CLARKE.

